Paeoniflorin alleviates oxidative stress and apoptosis in heat stress-induced H9c2 cells

Abstract

Abstract Purpose: The increasing annual mean temperature has exacerbated the severity of heat stress (HS) which could increase cardiac burden. Paeoniflorin (PF), the primary bioactive constituent extracted from the Paeonifloraceae, exhibits robust antioxidant properties. However, its protective potential against HS-induced cardiomyocyte injury remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of PF on H9c2 cells subjected to HS-induced injury and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Methods: To establish the heat stress model, H9c2 cells were exposed to HS for 2 h at 45 °C in a 5% CO2 incubator. Before HS exposure, H9c2 cells were pretreated with PF (5 µM) for 24 h. Subsequently, we assessed cell viability, oxidative stress, cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and mitochondrial function. Results: HS treatment significantly increased oxidative stress and apoptosis in H9c2 cells. However, pretreatment with PF for 24 h attenuated the HS-induced damage in H9c2 cells, protecting against thermal injury. Conclusion: Current studies have not investigated the role of PF on oxidative damage and apoptosis in vitro after HS. Our experiment demonstrated that PF ameliorates HS-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in H9c2 cells which suggest that PF can potentially be an effective preventive medicine against heat injury to cardiomyocyte.